Bale-covering.



better show its hooked flanges.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

MICHAEL KIRSHNER, OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

BALE-COVERING.

SPEGIFICATIQNfOrming part of Letters Patent No. 701 ,576, dated June 3, 1902.

Application filed August 24, 1901. Serial No. 73,184.' (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it mag concern.-

Be it known thatI, MICHAEL KIRSHNER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Lynchbu'rg,-in'- the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bale-Coverings, of which the following is a specification. v I

This invention relates to an improvement in bale-coverings more particularly adapted forbaling cotton, and is of the classkn'own as metallic coverings that are intended to make the bale fireproof and unlikely to be damaged by water. 7

It is my object to provide a simple, cheap,

and durable covering of this character that can be placed and fastened on the cotton or other material as the bale is being formed.

IVith this object in view my invention consists of the bale-covering of the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as'hereinafter described,and then definitely claimed. In the accompanying drawings, which rep resent what I consider the preferable (though not necessary) embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bale-covering with part broken away to bet ter illustrate the fasteningmeans. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 isa perspective View of one of the pans or sections of the bale-covering slightly spread open to Fig.4 is a perspective view of the fastening-strip, and Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the lock.

Referring now to the details of the said drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the top of my bale-covering, and 2 the bottom thereof, each of which is preferably similar in construction, and a description ofone therefore answers for both. Each of these sections of the bale-covering is made in the form of a pan that is, with alarge rectangular top portion and narrow side portions 3 3 and end portions 4 4:, the side and end parts 3 and 4 projecting from said rectangular top substantially at right angles thereto. Each of these side and end portions 3 3 and at at is preferably provided with' a'hooked flange 5, which forms part of the means by which the two pans or sections are secured together to form the bale-covering. In order to lock these pans 'or sections together, I employ a fastening-strip, suchas that shown in Fig. 4, which consists of a strip of sheet metal 7, formed with hooked flanges 8, which are ar- 7 ranged to coact with the hooked flanges 5 and strip, and thereby lock the ends together.

In order to give a better idea of theuse of my bale-covering, I willjbrieflydescribe its mode of attachment. One of the p'ans or sections is placed at the bottom of the crib of a suitable press, (not shown,) the cotton or, other material to be pressed being packed into saidcrib. A similar pan or upper section is then placed on top of the cotton and thelatter compressed-between said pans by causing them to approach each other. NVhen the cotton is compressedto the desired extent, the fastening-strip 7 is bent around the two pans or sections and heldin engagement therewith by any desired means, and the tongue 10 on one end is passed through the slot 9 in the other end and is bent down, se-

curely locking the ends together. The operating mechanism of the press may now be put in motion to allow the material to slightly expand, which causes the pans orsections to separate until the hooked flanges on the pans engage with the hooked flanges on the fastening-strip, when the pans can expand no farther and will therefore be securely held together by the fastening-strip. Y

I am very well aware that metal bale-coverings have heretofore been patented and that coverings are old which consist of a top and bottom-of sheet metal which are connected together by sides that are hooked over said top'and bottom. I am also aware that it has been proposed to connect two pans tocovering which is tied in the act of baling and one which can be exposed to the weather Without entailing any damaging results.

It is obvious that changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I intend the following claims to cover such changes and modifications as naturally suggest themselves.

V hat I claim as new is 1. A bale-covering, comprising a top and a bottom each having locking-flanges on all of its edges, and a substantially continuous strip having flanges coacting with the locking-flanges on the top and the bottom {and looking or fastening them together, substantially as described.

2. A bale-covering comprising a top and a bottom having locking-flanges thereon, and a strip having flanges coacting with the flanges on the top and bottom and locking or fastening them together, and provided with means for locking or fastening its ends together, substantially as described.

3. A bale-covering, comprising a top and a bottom made into pan shape with lockingflanges thereon, and a substantially continuous strip surrounding the bale and having flanges thereon coacting with the lockingflanges on the top and bottom and thereby locking the latter together, substantially as described.

4. A bale-covering comprising a top and a bottom made into pan shape with flanges thereon, and a strip surrounding the bale and having flanges thereon coacting with the books on the top and bottom and thereby locking the latter together, and provided with a tongue and coacting means for locking its ends together, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Lynchburg, Virginia, this 22d day of August, 1901.

MICHAEL KIRSIINER.

Vitnesses:

R. H. GLAss, J12, M. K. DUERsoN. 

